Are you having issues with acid reflux and gas? Here are foods you need to watch

Over the past year of quarantine, which thankfully is beginning to lift, eating habits changed for many of us.

Eating times were more erratic, a bit of binging might have occurred and some nutritious foods might have dropped from the plate.

These types of food changes can lead to a variety of stomach issues such as reflux, gas and burping. Before the pandemic, the incidence of heartburn and reflux had 10-20% prevalence.

An article in the 12/20 issue of The American Journal of Gastroenterology, authored by physicians from the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, provides insight into how food can alleviate these symptoms.

Let’s start with reflux. Gastroesophageal reflux occurs when acidic stomach juices back up into the esophagus. It happens to a minor degree when you burp and have an unpleasant taste in your mouth.

Other symptoms of more chronic reflux include heartburn, bad breath, chronic coughing or sore throat, hoarseness and pain when swallowing.

If this is occurring frequently or interfering with daily activities, you should consult with a physician. Strategies suggested in the article are to avoid large meals, chew thoroughly and eat slowly, and do not eat within four hours of lying down.

Food recommendations from the article include limiting alcohol, chocolate and high-fat meals. They suggest — and I observed in my practice — that red sauces, spices, mint and caffeine triggered some patients’ reflux symptoms.

You have to be your own detective and keep a food diary to see what foods cause this reaction in you. Match symptoms to foods.

Bloating and burping is another annoying problem for many. One cause can be aerophagia, defined as excessive swallowing of air. Recommendations from the article include eating slowly and avoiding straws, chewing gum and carbonated beverages.

For me, the three standout points in this article are the following: Doctors talk to their patients about food intake and behaviors; they suggest referrals to registered dietitians and lastly, “…use food as medicine to prevent and treat common GI ailments.”

Sheah Rarback MS, RDN is a registered dietitian nutritionist in private practice in Miami. srarback@hotmail.com